It has been a while since I have shared some progress on the Austin ‘Special’ so I figured it was time for an update. In the last installment I divulged what I planned to do in order to upgrade the Austin’s mechanical running gear. This time around we will dive into the rear suspension.
As previously noted the rear axle is going to be a MG B unit which is stronger with much better replacement parts availability. It also is, crucially, the correct and quite narrow width. Both the MG B and Austin A40 are equipped with leaf springs and lever shocks. I did want to change from the lever shocks to some more common and up to date gas shocks as the Austin shocks were completely worn out and I did not receive any MG ones with my axle. I did have a set of MG B leaf springs however.
Here is the Austin axle out after a brief (ok, not that brief) fight. I made good use of these wheel sliders to move around axles. I had a dream that this might be close to a bolt on operation but some further measurements showed I had no such luck as the spring perches were just a little off.
Austin (top) versus MG B (bottom) spring.
The Austin springs looked like a better candidate and cleaned up nicely. A fresh coat of paint made them look respectable.
I ordered new bushings for the springs. Luckily these were not too crazy of price like some of the A40 replacement parts.
A test fit confirmed that the spring perches were off just a touch.
And so the perches had to be cut off.
For new perches a set of trailer ones lightly modified worked. I would just need to attach the shock mount to them later. I lost count of how many times I had the axle in and out but on this attempt I am confirming the location of the spring perches before tack welding on followed by yet another test fit.
Looking through specifications for shocks I came up with these for a 1987 Dodge Colt Visa wagon. They had an extended length of 15.55″, compressed length of 10.75″ and a stroke of 4.8″. The donor vehicle is likely in the same weight ballpark as well so I figured they should work well. Additionally, the two mounting ends looked easy to work with and fabricate mounts for unlike some other options.
This is my lower shock mount tacked on. It does not look like much but a few manufacturers used a similar method and it should be plenty strong. I later realized the bolt portion was too short once I did the final welding so I got to do this step twice.
I tacked welded a couple of tabs to the frame for the top shock mount then waited to separate the chassis from the body for final welding. As you may recall the car was no longer bolted to the chassis when I bought it so I got to skip that step. Removal was complicated by the transmission being seized to the engine which meant it had to come out with the chassis as the two together would not clear the hood opening. The head came off the engine to gain some clearance. The front body work will likely come off when the much taller and larger Toyota 20R engine is slide in but for now its remains loosely bolted together so I do not have to find a place to store it.
There is a video of the process if you are interested. The audio is lousy as usual but basically the process was to jack up the body while dropping the frame. The frame pulled out the front just clearing the head bolts. Unconventional perhaps but it allowed me to do it solo. As a bonus I have a nice collection of jack stands now.
Once clear of the body it was much easier to finalize the welding of the top shock mounts as well as mock up the rear suspension. I still need to press out the old spring bushings (or just the remains), press in the new ones and get a few bolts for the U-bolts holding the axle to the spring but the major bits are complete. I also sold (very cheaply) my Austin axle to a guy building a T-bucket roadster so it will live on a while longer. Next steps are pulling the stock engine, and mounting the front suspension.
Project Austin Special Series:
Project Austin ‘Special’: Acquisition of a 1952 Austin A40 Somerset
Project Austin ‘Special’: Assessment of the Car
Project Austin ‘Special’: Four Becomes Two
So the shocks for your Austin will be from a Colt Vista. An interesting CC hybrid there. Though for purity maybe Austin Marina shocks would have been more appropriate. Or were they still not telescopic yet? And perhaps not even available any more. Looking forward to updates!
I was not too worried about purity on the rear shocks to be honest. The goal was something that was reasonable to find, not too pricey and would work.
Perhaps I should look for some other parts from Korea and from mainland Europe to make this a bit more international!
Don’t worry, I was just joking about purity. I wouldn’t have even thought about it if you had picked shocks from a Pinto or Corolla, but somehow Colt Vista shocks seemed oddly exotic in a very CC way. But the international theme sounds interesting. Perhaps some Fiat, Daewoo or Suzuki, and German Opel parts to keep with the CC and orphan import theme.
Or the ubiquitous hotrodder’s choice of a Mustang II rack-and-pinion for the front suspension.
I assume purity went out the window before you picked up a tool!
Since you’re in Canada, theoretically you could use some Lada or Dacia parts. I kid.
I have a Lada (presumably Fiat derived) key ignition kicking around the garage somewhere …
Dacias were super uncommon in Canada outside Quebec. I think I have only ever seen one. In terms of most commonly seen 80s budget fringe brands it was Hyundai Pony, Lada then far behind Skoda, Innocenti, Dacia, ARO. Its mostly the occasional Lada Niva left.
I’m 95% certain the Marina had had 14 more minutes thought spent on its rear suspension than its 1948 front one, so it has telescopics, which was doubtless considered a high-tech reckless overspend at the time. (I know this from being under my sister’s Marina many, many years ago, extracting a cat, or a wheelbearing, or a shy cousin, I can’t recall exactly which any more).
“Or the ubiquitous hotrodder’s choice of a Mustang II rack-and-pinion for the front suspension.”
Of course if you go the M II route, you will most certainly drop in a 350 crate motor. After that, Recaro seats, American Mags and a Munci 4 speed.
Paint is your choice!
Don’t forget the Grant steering wheel.
I am enjoying watching this .
-Nate
I’m looking forward to the next installments. I’m especially curious what engine and transmission are going in. While it would not be very international a Rover V8 is a classic choice for something this size and a rusted out Discovery would be a good donor. Alternatively there are any number of more modern four cylinder engines, some of which already have some support for specials.
A small block Chevy with a 4 speed and slot maga at least has the redeeming virtue of being a 70s build and not a stereotypical 90s “boomer rod” with an automatic transmission, and Boyd’s wheels with a matching billet interior.
I already have a Toyota 20R and 5speed from a ’77 Celica that is slated to go in. Pending fit.
I read somewhere that if you’re going to build a hot rod at some point you have to trust your own welding. Looks like you already do, nice job.
I lack ambition, so I must retire from this post with at least four major headaches. Utterly beyond me, this level of stuff.
Damn, I admire the skills, Mr S., I really do.
And perhaps more, I admire the idea that there is an idea, and that you’re doggedly pursuing it as we read.
Even though it sounds like I mightn’t, I look forward to the next installment.
Agreed. It’s one thing to start a major project like this. It’s quite another to see it all the way through to a high-quality completion.
Liking this build, we are subject to regulations that prevent backyard built cars like this now, of course you can still build something but getting it roadworthy is a nightmareToyota engine up front is a good choice any 4 cylinder BMC rear axle would fit, a MGB is really only a sporty Morris Oxford complete with lever arm shox.
I just found your project and I’m watching it with interest. I’m a fellow Alberta’s that just picked up a 1951 Devon so looking for ideas. I saw somewhere else that you did one of them a few years ago as well. I’d like to pick your brain about it sometime if you’re open to it.
I’m doing something similar to a 48 Dorset. I’m enjoying your post very much and looking forward to your next. Can you tell me where your ordered the leaf spring bushings from?
Scott ;
Leaf spring eyelet bushings are mostly standardized, so do an interchange search .
I discovered MG Midget spring eye bushings were the same as my Metropolitan Nash FHC so I then went in search of polyurethane bushings and found them to be the same as Datsun, bought a set and installed them with silicone grease so to dampen an y squeaks and they’re still in that car thrity years and 50,000 + miles later, no slop and no increase in N.V.H.
-Nate
Thanks Nate,
But like David I’m using the Austin stock spring and haven’t found any cross reference for them. I’ve been looking for poly bushings but haven’t found a site that gives part dimensions. I need 1″ OD and the springs are 1.75″ wide.
Merry Christmas Nate,
Scott